Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1887-09-20
The POWER OF Ether.
A Patients Instructive Description OF tho
Effects OF the Anaesthotic.

a Patients Instructive Description OF the
Effects OF the Anaesthotic.
Half-past one was the hour fixed on
for the operation. 1t is II curious sem
sation. feeling perfectly well and sound
in wind and limb, to sit waiting for
man to whom you are to surrender
yolition, consoiousness-in fact every
thing but life itself-while he cuts and
carvos at you with his knives and Ian.
Gets.
Soon after the hour named two seri-
Gus, frock-coated gentlemen. with
ominous little black bags in their
hands. were announced. The surgeon
declared that the operation must be
performed in bed So we pulled the
bedstead into the most convenient po-
sition for catching the lights from the
window. and when he had retired l be.
gan TO undress. No time was lost; the
surgeon and doctor came in, and be.
gan to arrange their tackle for work.
The doctor got out his ether apparatus,
aud soon compounded smell
like n photographers shop in olden
days, while out of the corner
of my eye l could see the surgeon. who
had taken off his coat and pulled some
guards over his wrists and arms, ar.
ranging his weapons in neat row on
the dressing-tabe. When the doctor
had got his machine ready he placed
1t over my nose and mouth, with in
structions TO breathe deeply two or
three times. The apparatus used for
giving ether consists of boxin which
the compound is placed, and an oval
india-rubber mask. very plant and
flexible. projecting from II, with tap
which allows communication between
the two parts to be cut off or esiab-
lished at will. The mask part was
placed over my face, and inhaled
deeply once or twice. with the only re-
suit that l was seized with choking
cough, which, however, was soon fol-
lowed by a pleasant and restful sensa-
ton. felt rs il were gently doing
Off on warm summers day, so !
closed my eyes and placed my arms
down by sides that they might not in
terfero with my breathing. The doc
tor bent over me and raised
an eyelid. but l was wide
enough awake to say: mot yet doc
tor" l was rapidly going, though,
and felt / was beginning to lose con-
sciousness. The light seemed gently
10 fade away, giving place to dark
ness that was not awful or horrible,
but soft and restful. There was no
giddiness or singing in the ears. but
si'once and darkness settled down over
me, and then red veil scemel to come
from between my eyes and to float
away into the increasing gloom, grad
ually diminishing to red spot, the
only speck of light left. Slowly this
faded away, and sight, hearing, Volt
ton and overy sense with it, had a
dim consciousness Of existence, but my
very life seemed far away, buried un-
der masses of soft darkness. l do not
know whether spoke, but my brain
was q blank. aud not thought crossed
my mind. All was numb dead and
still. the silence of the grave, but with
faint, indefnable consciousness some
where that this was not death, but only
the suspension of life. Darkness was
all around; not darkness that might
be felt, but one that filled every thing,
covered every thing and blotted out
out every thing with black, impalpable
and all-pervading presence
Gradually and softly as it went the
light came back again. with no startled
wonder rs to where was, for almost
before | could shape n thought l In
stinctively remembered my position,
and Enew that the operation was over.
The figures in the room grew distinct
aud clear. / half rose up in bed, and
then n horrid feeling of nausea and
pain rushed upon me. l had lain down
strong and well; woke up weak and
throbbing with pain under my band
ages, and with sickness such as l
had believed could only be eproduced in
Alderney Race on board cattle boat
Splendid cried the surgeon, cheer
fully "all over, first ratep' and he.
turned down his shirt sleeves after
tossing away the towel with which he
had dried his hands. My first thought
was to ask the time. mot much more
than quarter of an hour over it, y"
was the replyi "a dare say you'll go
to sleep now; goodbye" During
my trance they had cut me and
carved me, sewed me up and bandaged
me without my even knowing that !
had been touched, but | could hardly
fell grateful to the anesthctic, for the
nausea it produced was so intense. My
mouth. throat and lungs felt coated
with ether and dried with smoke, and
/ could well imagine what the mouth
of a photographers boy would be like
after prolonged debauch on brown
paper cigars soaked in collodion. Still.
the ether had saved me from much suf-
fering, and. what was of more impor-
tance, had prevented the skill of the
operator being balked by any flinching.
Every thing had been done swiftly,
skillfully and with no fear of the
patient wincing or moving. The knife
is sure and sharp nowadays, and does
not bungle. - Cor Pail NAL Gazette,